Saed Hindash/The Star-LedgerDevils forward Rob Niedermayer is still not ready to return from an injury.

Goalie Martin Brodeur, who took Monday off, was back on the ice. However, Rob Niedermayer, Jay Pandolfo, Johnny Oduya, Paul Martin and Dainius Zubrus all remained out.

"I don't know what happened," coach Jacques Lemaire said. "Maybe tomorrow. I was sure today, but things change. It just tells you it won't be this week (for injured players being ready for games). You've got to have some practices before you get in games."

Matt Corrente was dressed as a defenseman while fellow rookie Tyler Eckford skated as a forward.

Lemaire said the Devils will again dress seven defensemen in Wednesday night's game. However, this time Matt Corrente will play defense and Eckford will be used on the wing.

"Somebody told me Eckford played forward in the past," Lemaire said. "I know how he can skate."

Lemaire was asked if Yann Danis would start one of the three games in four days.

"Could be," he said.

Devils lines:

Brian Rolston-Patrik Elias-Jamie Langenbrunner

Zach Parise-Travis Zajac-Niclas Bergfors

Matt Halischuk-Dean McAmmond-David Clarkson

Andrew Peters-Tim Sestito-Tyler Eckford

Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond-Rod Pelley-Ilkka Pikkarainen

Practice was a teaching session by Jacques Lemaire, who worked on the positioning of his defensemen around their own net.

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Chico Resch and co-author Stan Fischler will sign copies of their book, "Who's Better: Rangers, Devils, Islanders or the Flyers?" at Mendham Books in Mendham, N,J., on Sunday Dec. 13 at 2 p.m.

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The Hockey is for Everyone program will be in the spotlight Saturday when Hockey in Newark hosts the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Program of Philadelphia at Prudential Center’s AmeriHealth Pavilion at 9:30 a.m.

Eighteen players aged 14-17 from Newark and Philadelphia will compete in the game prior to Saturday afternoon’s 1 p.m. Devils-Islanders clash on the main rink at the Prudential Center.

Both teams are part of the NHL’s Hockey is for Everyone initiative. Hockey is for Everyone provides support and unique programming to non-profit youth hockey organizations across North America that are committed to offering children of all backgrounds opportunities to play hockey.

“When we moved our team to Newark, we knew that hockey would become a popular sport in this city,” Devils chairman Jeff Vanderbeek said. “Saturday’s game is evidence of that, and we are very proud of the Hockey in Newark program.”

Hockey in Newark, supported largely by the Devils, makes their home in both Newark’s Ironbound Recreation Center and Prudential Center’s AmeriHealth Pavilion. Practices are held throughout the summer in preparation for the fall.l The team plays 10-15 games each year against teams around the state.

“Bringing Newark’s young athletes into our arena is something we try to do as often as possible,” Devils vice chairman Mike Gilfillan said. “We want them to not only attend games, but have the opportunity to skate on the same ice as their home town team.”